Who seeks comfort online? A descriptive study of adults with chronic pain who register for an online support group as part of their own self-care.

摘要

This study describes 261 adults with chronic pain who registered for an online support group and completed questionnaires measuring pain intensity and pain interference on quality of life, depression, anxiety and somatization. They were primarily female with a mean age of 48 years, partnered or married, highly educated and unable to work due to severe pain. They had unrelieved pain for a long time that significantly interfered with quality of life and had significant emotional distress as a result. The majority were taking opioids to manage their pain. Few had tried cognitive-behavioral interventions, including psychotherapy, support groups or pain education classes. Nonetheless, they continue to exhibit hope, perseverance and willingness to pursue pain treatment. Findings, ethical issues, limitations, implications for social work practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.